Farewell
by Wings Of A Hero
Summary: A short story of Terry and the young Rock.


Hello there! Well this here is my first fic! (smiles wildly) Though this story was made years ago, I have decided to post it up. Opinions are very much appreciated. Hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: Terry nor Rock belong to me... (sad face)

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The sky was bright by the time Terry headed towards the fields. The wheat in the fields felt rough as they poked the jeans of his pants when he walked by. He stopped to look back at the town one last time and returned to his walk. After a few minutes went by, the sky was starting to set and he tugged on the strap that lay on his shoulder.

"Wait!" came a distant cry. "Terry, wait!"

Terry turned in the direction from which the cry came. A small figure was visible now. It was the young boy from the town. The boy caught up to him now and he stood panting, trying to catch his breath as he looked Terry in the eyes. Terry looked at the young boy with dismay.

"Rock," Terry began, "what are you doing out here? It's dangerous wandering around all by yourself."

"I know," said the young boy as he put his down with shame.

"You shouldn't be out here," Terry continued, "You should have stayed where I left you."

The boy quickly looked to Terry. "Are you leaving me, Terry?"

"Don't do this, Rock" Terry pleaded as he walked away. The boy followed him. "You have to go back, Rock. You can't stay with me."

"Why do I have to stay here?" the boy continued to plead as he walked alongside Terry, "Why can't I go with you?"

Terry halted as the young boy stopped in front of him.

"Why?" the boy repeated as he looked to Terry with a sad look in his eyes.

Terry sighed. He looked to the boy who had an anxious look in his eyes. _"Why?_ Because it's too dangerous, Rock. It's too dangerous that I can't take you with me. Do you understand me? It's too dangerous."

"You can't go!" the boy cried, "You can't leave me. You're supposed to take care of me."

"I can't," Terry said putting his hand on the boys shoulder, "I have to go."

"What'll happen?" the boy said, "What if something terrible happens? What if I get hurt? I can't do it withought you, Terry!" Terry let go of the boy's shoulder and turned away from the boy. ""Who's going to take care of me?"

"You'll do just fine, kid" Terry said, "If you just believe in yourself."

"No, I can't" the boy said, shaking his head.

"Yes, you can, kid."

Terry turned to leave. The boy stood staring at him. He clutched his hand into a fist with anger. "Why are you doing this?" the boy yelled, "Why are you leaving me?"

Terry stopped and looked at the boy.

"If I hadn't realize that you were gone," the boy continued, "I wouldn't have gotten the chance to ever see you again! I hate the fact that you would have left without even saying good-bye!"

"Rock-"

"You were going to leave me behind and never say good-bye, weren't you?" the boy interrupted, "Weren't you, Terry?"

"I planned on leaving without you knowing because I knew you would try to stop me."

The young boy breathed in deeply, his hand still clutched with anger. Terry put his head down with resignation. He figured the boy wasn't going to give up.

"You can't just leave me here, Terry!" Rock yelled asTerry walked away from him, "We're supposed to do things together!"

Terry stopped for another time to look at the boy. "I'm sorry that I can't do that for you, Rock" he appologized, "It's too dangerous to have you come with me. You can get hurt."

The young boy's eyes widened. "There's nothing to worry about," the boy assured, "I can take care of them!" The boy clubbed his fists in defense. Terry chuckled as he shook his head.

"Sorry, kid. But even I get hurt in these battles."

The boy put down his fists and put his head down. Terry sighed and looked into the direction from the town. The boy would get hurt if he came with him. And Terry being that he knew that the boy had enough troubles and hardships as it is, he couldn't handle having the young boy hurt. The town was the only place to protect him, keep him out of harm's way. Terry figured the boy was too young to get involved. He had no choice but to leave the boy in the town. He looked back to the boy who still had his head down. He gently placed his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Rock," he began in a gentle tone, "if I could take you with me, I would. But the thing is... I can't." The boy kept his head down and didn't say a word. "There's nothing to worry about," Terry told the boy, "You're strong. You can make it through this. I know you can."

"Will I ever see you again, Terry?" the boy asked, not looking up at him.

"Yeah. Of course we will, kid."

He didn't feel very comfortable saying it. Due to his upcoming battles, he doubted he would ever meet him again.

"When will you come back?"

"I don't know," Terry responded"

"Will you come back soon?" Rock asked anxiously.

"I can't guaruntee you that, kid."

Terry turned to leave. "Please, Terry" the boy pleaded, "Don't go. I'll be alone again. I have no family. I have no friends. I don't want to be alone."

Terry paused. He looked to the boy. "You will never be alone," he assured him, "I will always be there for you... in memory." Rock gave a worried look. Terry smacked himself in the forehead. He didnt mean for the kid to take it the wrong way. He meant... well... only for the meanwhile.

"Don't worry, kid. We will see each other again."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

The boy still didn't look satisfied. Terry walked over to the boy. He took off his red cap and handed it to him. "Here," he said, handing the cap to Rock," I want you to have this."

"Terry, your cap" Rock refused, "I can't take this. This is _your_, cap Terry."

"And now I'm giving it to you."

"But..."

"There's not one kid I'd rather give it to other than you. I want you to have it."

Rock held the cap in his hands. The cap that the undefeatable Terry Bogard wore to all of his battles.

"You're a great kid, Rock. You have the heart of a fighter." Rock's eyes widened. "Maybe I'll see you someday at a 'KOF' tournament," Terry said as he looked up to the sky. The sun was setting, and it would be dark soon. "Well, you'd better get back home. It'll be dark soon."

Just before he turned to leave, Rock unexpectedly clung to him. Shocked, Terry found himself returning the embrace. He didn't even try to release the boy from his hold.

"I'll miss you, Terry" the boy said as he still held onto him.

"I'll miss you, too, kid."

The two parted and Terry tightened the strap from his bag. He took the cap from the boy's hand and looked at it one last time. "To remember me by," he said as he placed the red cap over the boy's blonde head, "And now, it'll gve me an excuse to come back for it."

He tugged on his bag and walked away. Suddenly, he paused. He turned once more and gave the kid a friendly gesture of the thumb's up. "Seeya around, kid" he said with a smile and walked away.

The boy watched the man walk further out into the fields as the sun was starting to set. He tried to hold back his anger, the fury that consumed him as he stood alone atop a hill, watching his only friend disappear as he started on for a new journey. Rock watched Terry's figure walk across the fields until it was no longer in sight, vanishing into nothingness as the sky grew dark with stars filtering the sky. With a tear in the boy's eyes, he clubbed his fists, his hand hand clenching onto the red cap which now remained as the only memory of his friend.

"I'll find you," the boy whispered into the wind, "I promise you. I'll find you."


End file.
